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NASCAR team owner Gene Haas involved in bid for 2015 Formula One entry

January 15, 2014

NASCAR team owner Gene Haas is apparently looking to expand his racing empire. Haas is looking to buy an F1 entry in 2015. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

NASCAR team owner Gene Haas is behind an attempt to gain an Formula One entry for 2015.

On Dec. 11, the FIA announced a formal tender process, with a very short lead time, suggesting that interested parties had already been in contact. Late last year, there were rumors of a potential F1 project in the U.S.

The deadline for expressions of interest was Jan. 3, with Feb. 10 noted as the closing of full formal applications. Bernie Ecclestone said this week that he had been in contact with two candidates.

"We have responded to the FIA’s ‘call for expression of interest’ regarding a Formula One entry on behalf of Haas Racing Development," Haas said in a statement released by his team. "We respect the FIA’s evaluation process and will share more details in the coming weeks.”

However, three teams are believed to have started the process, with Haas joined by a Romanian project involving former HRT and Force India boss Colin Kolles, and by Stefan GP, a Serbian organization that has previously tried to gain an F1 entry.

The intention is that the Haas operation would be run by former Toro Rosso boss Guenther Steiner. The Austrian, who runs a composite facility in North Carolina–very close to the site of the failed US F1 effort–was an interested observer in the paddock in Austin in November. Haas reportedly plans to use a Ferrari powertrain and, initially, a Dallara-built chassis.

The 61-year-old Haas owns one of the world's leading CNC companies and also owns the Wind Shear wind tunnel, also in North Carolina, which has been used by F1 teams.

Meanwhile, it's believed that some state-owned companies are behind the Romanian project and that they have decided to pursue their own route after initially considering getting involved with an existing team.

While Romanian F1 veteran Kolles is involved, it's understood that he will be a supplier rather than an owner or team principal. In effect, he would do what he did with HRT and supply his Bavarian facility and its staff and equipment to the team. Latterly, Kolles has expanded to become a manufacturer, and this year his company is building an LMP1 car.

It's worth speculating that one of the parties involved in the project could be Renault-owned car manufacturer Dacia, whose name could be used to badge a Renault F1 engine.